a journal of finding good food and restaurants i love to eat in Taipei when I'm not in Los Angeles. looking forward to hearing from other food lovers about where your favorite places to eat are, so i can try them next!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

dessert/bakery: i strongly recommend BLACK AS CHOCOLATE

ED NOTE 10/2010: After ordering and eating the original flavor cake multiple times this year, I've upgraded Black as Chocolate to a "Strongly Recommend" especially in comparison to trying Awfully Chocolate and other cakes in Taipei.

Chocolate cake in a beautiful package- it's an easy thing to give and an easy thing to receive.

But is it easy to buy? Black as Chocolate doesn't even display their cakes.

In fact, it's hard to tell what they are selling unless you know what they are selling. Their entire BaDe Road store of white walls and black writing is filled with a huge artwork and balloons on the ground, and a lone display of chocolate ice cream.

You have to flip through a book of pictures to decide which chocolate cake you want to buy, and some might be sold out for that day (like the chocolate cheese cake we wanted). I would have never even known about this store unless my friend told me and she said I had to try it. We decided we would be split the cost and split the guilt by getting a classic chocolate cake.

The packaging is definitely interesting- from the drawn instructions of how to unpack and present your cake to the packaging of the spoons and forks.

I guess it continues on the themes of black and white, good vs evil, sinful vs angelic... Though the white spoon looks adorned with angel wings, the tiny box states its real identity is "devil's fork." (while the devil's fork is black and looks like pitchfork) Does it make sense? Not really, but it depends on if you're a sucker for packaging, or you just want to eat cake!

The cake is equally a sight to see... We finally get to see it after unboxing it and not getting to see it in the store.

My friend said that the cake seemed to have gotten both smaller and more expensive (NT$750-980 for 6' inch), but so we made sure to take our time while devouring our slices.

It wasn't overpoweringly sweet, but will definitely hit any chocolate cravings. Black as Chocolate also has some more unusual flavors- such as Mango & Passion Fruit chocolate cake or Caramel Banana Chocolate Cake or Black Currant and Strawberry chocolate cake- with about 7 different cakes to choose from (there's lots of tantalizing pictures on their site). If you want a specific type of cake, call ahead and order it to make sure they hold it for the day you need it.

I think I might have to order the Chocolate Cheese Cake or Chocolate Raspberry Tart after looking at these pictures. Available online are also 3.5 inch mini cakes (NT$350) and chocolate dipped strawberries (NT$430 for 6).

Whether you choose the cake from Pozzo or here, splurge on your hungry girl with a sweet surprise since she probably can't bear to pay these prices for herself. Besides, after she oohs and aahs and unwraps it, you can eat some too!

Hmm I've honestly never had an American style choco-cake in Taiwan before. As a recovering chocolate cake addict, I'm (naturally) really interested in its consistency/sweetness/flavor.

I take it that "It wasn't overpoweringly sweet" means this is less sweet in comparison with what we find in the States? I'd love a nice thick chococake that isn't a sugar-bomb. Can't find many of 'em here.

Have to say, the cake look nicer than what it taste. Try awfully chocolate ( a singaporean franchise all over Asia) , they also have a simple display and only sale the whole cake, not in slices. www.awfullychocolate.com

I love your blog, I just heard about this place from my brother in Taiwan, it's kind of funny how their website is kind of the same, you don't really get a sense of what they're selling when you first look at it, I thought it was a pop star's website at first glance. (which now makes sense after I did a little research and found out she was a signer) Off to check out the rest of your blog!

Thanks for the recommendation, I am from Japan and i tried Black as Chocolate's cakes.. They are fabulous!. From their cake bags to cake box packaging to their mouth watering cakes, everything is so detailed and exquisite !.. i am bringing some back for my friends in Japan!!.. Definitely one of the Must Trys in Taipei!!Love their classic dark chocolate cake, rich yet not too sweet.. perfect for me!!

Ooooohhh loved your recommendation ! Their chocolate cakes are simply The best !! Not too sweet , but yet so full of dark chocolate goodness! So sublime !!! I also love their packaging, so great for gifts ! I have recently tried their Nama chocolate , the earl grey tea flavor ! I strongly recommend that flavor ! It's the best Nama chocolate I have ever tried ! And I also lurve their chocolate ice creams !!! Arghhhh too much that i wanna eat ! hungry!

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